C'mon Abraindrainer...It's great value, right(wink )? I know, it ain't an Audi A8 or a BMW 7 series, but I still really like the car, and it compares to my Millennia, which was the flagship. It isn't Audi, BMW, or Infiniti, but it's a hell of alot of value for the dollar, even Canadian dollars! G
I am not arguing that it is pretty good value at the current price levels! However, I think Mazda fouled up the MS6 targeting. First and foremost, MS6 nailed a nice niche that is way too small and it is more crowded than many think. AWD sedans include IS250, G35x, 330ix, LGT, Volvo S40 & S60, A4, etc and all of those offer pretty decent interior refinement. If mazda had done their homework they would have realized how difficult it is to move a manual in the US where less than 10% of vehicles are manuals. Half of those models do not even offer a manual (in the US) and too few drivers in the US trully desire the driver involvement that MS6 offers. As a new AWD kid on the block it would have been good if they got the price right but as it turned out Mazda did even get all the software right. My 2 cents!
Would you say the STi or EVO are worth the $30K+++ they cost? Considering you get no luxury. Well, the STi does have a limited trim with leather.
A EVO MR is $36,000. STi is around $33-$34K
I, personally think the MS6 is a great value, even at $30K. A BMW goes over $40K, so, it better have more lux. However, the MS6 was designed more to outperform Audi, BMW, and Leg GT, which it does, not be more refined in the lux department, but rather have lux features.
STi or EVO are worth the $30K+++ They maybe worth that but to me that lack basic comforts. If I was racing the vehicle, I would certainly consider one of those.
MS6 was designed more to outperform It does pretty well but it is slower than LGT because of its gearing and it does NOT handle as well as a BMW one dry pavement because of weight distribution... it is also a little on the heavy side compared to these 2.
Like you, I probably favour performance like braking and handling, and of course price over the brand name and lux content. Thus, MS6 suits me fine, however, Mazda missed the target with the masses for this vehicle because they did not put in enough of the "right" content, IMHO.
It does pretty well but it is slower than LGT because of its gearing and it does NOT handle as well as a BMW one dry pavement because of weight distribution
I'm not so sure. If you know how to drive it, you can get times very similar to the Leg GT. But, yes, the gearing advantage does go to the GT. I drove the BMW and the SPeed6 on dry pavement together at the same test site, the Mazda did not give much, if anything, in handling to the BMW.
I like my MS6. That said, a BMW 335 is in an entirely different class. Dead stock a 2wd MT 335 will hit 60 in a hair under 5seconds without a 4000rpm clutch melting launch. It puts out about 275hp at the wheels (BMW under rated it's hp) which is what the MS6 makes at the crankshaft, at least when the software isn't cutting power, stuttering, or closing the throttle. The tuning potential of the 335 is huge - with software alone there's 400 crank hp! And that was the first effort with tuning. BMW gives you a front mounted intercooler - that $1000 and voiding your warranty to match it on the MS6. You also get a decent sound system, Bluetooth and MP3 integration and many other such features. The Bose system installed in Mazda 6 is truly horrible - I'd say it's 60's car radio with more power and a subwoofer. But so what? Consider the Bose junk a radio delete option with a free, temporary boombox installed. For well under 30K fully loaded it's a great deal and the upkeep costs after the warranty runs out will be much less than any BMW (I owned one). It does a great job of being what it is; expecting it to be an Audi or BMW is not reasonable. BMWs begin as performance oriented RWD cars with 50/50 weight distribution. You can't make a fwd car which has the engine hanging in front of the axle have the same dynamics, though you might get close with suspension + tire tuning - MS6 has control arms (better than struts) on all wheels + the extra bracing Mazda added makes a good platform. What you _can get is something that's fun to drive, has a 6sp manual, has tuning potential and won't give you 4 digit bills every time you see the mechanic, nor does it announce you as someone with money.
STI and EVO are not comparable cars. Those are hard core performance vehicles with a stiff ride, lots of noise and much higher perormance.
Hrmmm... I don't see my $21,300 MS6 listed at all. Note: I just put on a Mazdaspeed CAI and I can REALLY feel the difference--much jumpier. I really think this car needs more air than the normal intake allows.
Good point but some of these are ATX and not all have AWD! An auto that has the same 0-60 is a lot more consistant... but has much lower driver involvement.
Speed 6 vs. Legacy 2.5 GT spec B (according to Car & Driver magazine)
Both do the quarter in 14.0 seconds. The Speed 6 has a top speed of 149, the Legacy will reach 137. The Mazda outbrakes the Subaru 155 to 177 ft. from 70 mph and matches it on the skidpad with .87 lateral acceleration. 0-60 is pretty much a draw, 5.4 Mazda and 5.3 seconds Subaru. The Mazda is roomier. The spec B Legacy costs more.
Magnaflow makes a cat-back exhaust system for the MS6. Mazda sells "sport" mufflers. Fujita, AEM, Mazdaspeed and others sell a cold air intake. These are two easy ways to pick up a few hp.
There are people out there who are messing with the turbo's blow-off valve, putting in front-mounted intercoolers, etc. for even more hp.
Anyone have any problems with their smart key? Right now my "Key" light is coming on and staying on even when I pull the actual key out of the smart key and use it. The book says when this happens park it in a safe place and get it to a Mazda dealer ASAP. My engine light is also coming on. This has been diagnosed as a humidity problem with the intake manifold. Just waiting for the parts to come in for this to be fixed.
I see the talk about the Spec B's ability against the MS6. Does anyone have numbers on the regular Legacy GT Limited sedan and is it slower than the Spec B? My friend swears up and down that his GT (stock) will take my MS6 (stock). Also, I'm thinking about adding an intake on my MS6. What models have people had success with and what were the hp/torque gains? Thanks for your help!
Straight line acceleration of the spec B and standard Legacy GT should be the same. No difference in the motors or power. Lap times should be quicker with the spec B since it has suspension upgrades. The Legacy GT and Mazdaspeed 6 are so close in straight line acceleration that either car could win. But the Mazda has a higher top speed and outbrakes and likely outhandles the standard Subaru, and at least outbrakes the spec B too. Don't bet a lot of money on a drag race though.
I bet regular LGT may actually be faster to 60 because it only requires on shift; NB LGT is a 5 speed.. However, MS6 should pull on LGT in most gears... LGT has very inferior brakes and cornering abilities and even Spec B is probably ('06 certianly was in all the tests) a bit soft compared to MS6. At highways+ speeds MS6 is a beast!
I'm in the process of purchasing the CPE intake which has significant gains and no CEL lights. If you go to Mazda 6 Club dot com, you will see that the reviews are as follows:
1. CPE intake (8-15HP gain) 2. Mazdaspeed intake (5-10HP) - though the same as AEM, but no CEL, and if there is, it's under Mazda's warranty. 3. AEM (5-10HP) 4. Fujitsu (4-8HP)
The HP gains may be slightly off (by memory) by 1-2HP but the order of priority isn't.
I just spotted your post. What can be done? So far it looks like "quite a bit, but wait for tuning". There seems to be a fair amount left on the table with the MS6. It's v1.0 for the MZR turbo; it was almost certainly designed with room to grow. Aftermarket support right now is very slim compared to other performance cars, not suprising since the MZR's 1st popular vehicle - the Speed3 - is just shipping now. 1st thing: The exhaust is restrictive. Turbos like open, unrestricted exhausts since you get 3x benefit: less exhaust left in the cylinder to contaminate the fresh charge, less work to push exhaust out, and perhaps greatest the pressure difference across the turbo is greater so it spools harder and generates more boost. The exhaust is the largest single hp drain. 2nd thing: The software restricts power at upper rpms -- and probably at all rpms. CP-E has a helper processor in prototype for this now, the 1st version should be on the market in a few weeks. 3rd the intercooler does a pretty good job of removing heat, but it's a restriction in the intake. It eats about 3# of boost when stock. There's a front mount intercooler available for about $1K, but you're likely to have issues if you want warranty work on your engine. The direct fuel injection looks promising. B/c it cools the intake charge we should be able to up the boost quite a bit with a larger turbo (which is available now). 4. CAI (cold air intake) are popular b/c you can do it yourself. Not worth your trouble and can have issues in heavy rain/snow/unexpected deep puddles (over 1' of h20). The popular CAI kits replace ignore the restrictive tubing just before the turbo.... you'll change that when/if you do a turbo upgrade.
Nothing beyond exhaust will work properly without tuning, you can't just bolt on X wonder part and gain 50hp without getting the ECU's co-operation. A turboback exhaust will work right away, but be sure to hear it 1st.
while i'm saving for the turboback exhaust, i did install a Mazdaspeed CAI (though i've heard different things on how this affects the warranty). i definitely seemed to notice a boost in take-off power with the CAI. anyway, i accidentally ran through about 10-12" of water going 70mph--(note: there's a nasty spot on I-95 just east of the Fuller Warren Bridge in Jax which evidently flash floods in heavy rain)--and think i sucked a bit up into my engine/turbo...it didn't "hydrolock" in that it kept running, but it definitely sputtered a bit.
my question is whether all the water eventually cooked off, or is there a possibility of some water residing in my engine somewhere, hurting my performance? i don't want to remove the CAI just to take it to the dealer, but if i need to i will. it seems to be running fine, though i sometimes think i feel some powerloss or something.
As a long time Mazda owner and the owner of a 2004 Mazda 6 V6/5speed, traded in at 60K miles for this 2006 MazdaSpeed6, I have a couple of things to say. The MS6 I own is a piece of junk that has had rear end whine since 1100 miles, has chewed up 2 sets of front tires in 3400 miles, has had a CEL a coupla times, and most importantly, Mazda will not keep their word. I've not driven this car for 6 weeks which is how long Mazda took to decide what to do after renegging on a promise of a buy it back and replace it with another different Mazda. They just decided 2 weeks ago to replace the rear differential and just put another set of tires on it without really knowing just what is chewing them up... This is the supposed final fix before the lemon law kicks in, and I'm praying it does. Dealerships, sales persons, and the district service manager have all been fine. Mazda North America is not to be trusted and will not stand behind their cars. Their customer service center is worthless. This will be my last Mazda (after 6 of them), and the sooner I get rid of it the better.
I have also have had problems. I love the looks and the interior of the car but as far as the clutch, trans, handling, engine performance I'm greatly disappointed! Already looking to trade-in or sale on my own hoping not to take to much of a loss.
wait-a-minute, mach9, couldn't you test the performance - in particular, the clutch engagement, handling, and engine performance, during your test drive? :confuse:
and now the engine seems a little stronger. Sorry to hear that some people are having problems. So far this Speed6 seems to me to be the most ideal car I have ever owned. It has changed my driving style a bit. With the turbo, it has quite a rush between 3000 and 5000 rpm. I can pass on the highway in a quick burst without having to pre-plan/position my move. Went skiing recently on a day when highways were being closed due to the snow and resulting pileups. AWD (with the right tires) allowed the Speed6 to go around long lines of traffic. I can accelerate on a snow-covered road at the limits of traction; can feel when all four wheels start to loose their grip; then let off just a little on the gas and leave the line of traffic in the other lane behind. Excellent handling/steering. Enjoy the automatic climate control; set and forget. And it is averaging 25 mpg.
Wow!! Pretty good mileage. I get 16-20 MPG . Medium-heavy on the throttle.. Nice driving description, I think she rolls pretty smooth!!! BTW.. What was your CEL for??
IMRC valve which, if I remember correctly, has something to do with air flow. Before it was fixed, the car ran okay; just didn't achieve peak performance.
I do almost no stop-and-go city driving which helps the mpg. Purely highway, the car has done 28-29 mpg.
Friday nite (3/17) in the snow/sleet storm, my fuel pump died and stranded me on I95 on the shoulder in DE. It was a scary experience as the state declared a state of emergency and closed down many roads. I was able go get towed off the highway and to a motel where my wife & I spent the nite. On Sat., I was towed to a Good Year store where they tried to scam me into a new battery - said the old (12mos. old) battery would not hold a charge. I demanded to keep the old battery to show to Mazda, and all of a sudden they were able to recharge it after all. On Monday the car was towed to Nucar Connection Mazda. They determined it was the fuel pump (battery was good-what a surprise) but they couldn't find a fuel pump anywhere. They gave me a loner for the duration until a new pump was found. They found one today - Friday 3/23/07 and said to come & get the car. I live about 100miles from DE, but I went over in the afternoon & got my car back. They even washed it for me. Mazda customer relations is going to pick up all my expenses, including towing, car rental, motel stay, gas, tolls & meals away from home. I was very unhappy about the breakdown, but impressed by Mazda's treatment thru this experience. BTW, this is the best car I have driven through weather as bad as this was; it held the road extremely well. I had changed the tires in November to all weather & definitely feel I made a good choice for the winter.
We are shopping for a new vehicle, took both a Mazda 6 V6 5 speed and a Speed 6 for a short drive Sat. Both are nice, the Speed 6 is a real hoot to drive, power right when you need it at low revs'. Looks like there are some incentives on both right now as well. Some questions: 1. How long are the tires lasting? I assume they are sticky performance tires. Also, here in Wisconsin, I assume I'll need a set of winter tires, if not for snow, just for the low temps. Summer tires turn into rocks at low temps. 2. Does anyone do their own oil changes? Is the drain plug and filter accessible if not on a lift? I saw that the V6 filter is right up front, should be easy to get to. I didn't try to find it on the 2.3 turbo. 3. What kind of fuel mileage are y'all getting? 4. Are you happy with the ride on pot holed, bumpy roads? We have plenty of those in SE Wisconsin. 5. Does the turbo engine have a timing belt, or chain? That's all for now. We need to try out the Acura TSX and TL, and the Infiniti G35. Wife nixed the Subaru Legacy GT, she was not impressed with the interior or seating.
I have an MS6 sport 06. If you are choosing between the v6 and the MS6. The MP6 is the way to go. 1. I would say the tires would last around10-15k miles. I changed mine to all season before winter because of the ice and snow. The all season tires cost me $125 a piece. 2.I have done my own oil changes and it's not hard but it takes a little more time b/c of taking off and on the engine under cover. The filter and plug are easy to get too. It does require a special wrench that you can order it's about $40. The filters are about $5. It takes 6 qts. 3. I'm getting about 25-26 HWY and 18-19 City and about 22mpg on total avg. 4. You will for sure feel the bumpy roads. I'm happy with it but it is a car built for curves and performance. 5. I beleive it is a chain. Dual chain if I remember right.
If I had a choice of the cars you mentioned above and already have owned the Ms6 and the TL. I'm just not 100% happy with the MS6 but that is just me. I would pick the TL for a lot of reasons. You can pick up a 2005 TL for about 27k and 29k with nav. I never drove the G35 so I can't comment on that. If you have the money check out the TL type-s.. sweet as they come. Hope this helps.
I have a 2006 MS6 sport. I can't answer all of your questions... I have less than 5K miles, so I'm just coming up to the first oil change, which is free at the dealer.
I keep track of every tank of gas, only put 93 octane, and I average 22-23 city and 25+ highway. I suspect the highway would be higher, but I haven't gone anywhere yet that took a whole tank at highway driving. I find that it costs me between 10 and 12 cents per mile in gas, even with the price spikes.
The ride is firm, but my last car was a Mustang GT, so I like firm. The traction is unbelievable... go tearing around in the car, and then just think, you can do that in the rain also!
I cross-shopped the TL, but it seemed pretty expensive for what you got... I think the Accord v6 6-speed is the much better deal... couldn't see spending 30K on a FWD car. Plus the Acura dealers are mighty proud of their products.
I also drove the 06 G35. I know the interior has been upgraded for 07, but I didn't see the MS6 interior as such a great step down from the G35, if you know what I mean. My only gripe about the MS6 interior is that the carpet seems a little cheap, kind of like what you might expect to see in a trunk.
But the MS6 is far and away the biggest bang for the buck, which is what sold me on it. So far it's solid as a rock, no rattles, shimmies or squeaks.
The MS6 has the biggest back seat of any of the cars you mentioned, if that's important to you. We fit an infant car seat in the middle spot, and a passenger still fits on either side, with room to spare.
I just love the Speed6, it's so low-key, people who pull up next to me thinking they're going to beat me to the next light get OWNED!
Comments
G
A EVO MR is $36,000. STi is around $33-$34K
I, personally think the MS6 is a great value, even at $30K. A BMW goes over $40K, so, it better have more lux. However, the MS6 was designed more to outperform Audi, BMW, and Leg GT, which it does, not be more refined in the lux department, but rather have lux features.
They maybe worth that but to me that lack basic comforts. If I was racing the vehicle, I would certainly consider one of those.
MS6 was designed more to outperform
It does pretty well but it is slower than LGT because of its gearing and it does NOT handle as well as a BMW one dry pavement because of weight distribution... it is also a little on the heavy side compared to these 2.
Like you, I probably favour performance like braking and handling, and of course price over the brand name and lux content. Thus, MS6 suits me fine, however, Mazda missed the target with the masses for this vehicle because they did not put in enough of the "right" content, IMHO.
Listen to this audio podcast from Mazdausa.com and pay close attention to the timeframe of 2:20-3:10, which talks about how the AWD system works.
MS6 Podcast
I'm not so sure. If you know how to drive it, you can get times very similar to the Leg GT. But, yes, the gearing advantage does go to the GT. I drove the BMW and the SPeed6 on dry pavement together at the same test site, the Mazda did not give much, if anything, in handling to the BMW.
But so what? Consider the Bose junk a radio delete option with a free, temporary boombox installed. For well under 30K fully loaded it's a great deal and the upkeep costs after the warranty runs out will be much less than any BMW (I owned one). It does a great job of being what it is; expecting it to be an Audi or BMW is not reasonable. BMWs begin as performance oriented RWD cars with 50/50 weight distribution. You can't make a fwd car which has the engine hanging in front of the axle have the same dynamics, though you might get close with suspension + tire tuning - MS6 has control arms (better than struts) on all wheels + the extra bracing Mazda added makes a good platform. What you _can get is something that's fun to drive, has a 6sp manual, has tuning potential and won't give you 4 digit bills every time you see the mechanic, nor does it announce you as someone with money.
STI and EVO are not comparable cars. Those are hard core performance vehicles with a stiff ride, lots of noise and much higher perormance.
price 0-60 1/4 mi top 70-0 skid city
$28,555.00 5.4 14.0 149 155 0.87 20
$34,620.00 5.3 14.0 137 177 0.87 20
$45,720.00 4.9 13.6 144 160 0.87 19
$36,000.00 5.2 13.9 158 160 0.87 16
$35,565.00 5.6 14.2 145 169 0.78 17
$54,720.00 6.9 15.3 150 176 0.82 19
$40,000.00 5.1 13.7 142 167 0.85 19
Can you guess what cars 1 through 7 are?
The G35x is only available with automatic. The 6-speed stick is only with RWD.
If they had the AWD with stick, my wife would've bought one by now!
ps--I'm thinking #3 is the BMW M3.
I know nothing about this. What can be done to "increase" power on the MS6 :confuse:
Columns are price, 0-60 time in seconds, 1/4 mile time, top speed, braking 70-0, lateral acceleration skidpad, EPA city mpg
MSRP 0-60 1/4 mi top 70-0 skid cityMPG
$28,555.00 5.4 14.0 149 155 0.87 20
$34,620.00 5.3 14.0 137 177 0.87 20
$45,720.00 4.9 13.6 144 160 0.87 19
$36,000.00 5.2 13.9 158 160 0.87 16
$35,565.00 5.6 14.2 145 169 0.78 17
$54,720.00 6.9 15.3 150 176 0.82 19
$40,000.00 5.1 13.7 142 167 0.85 19
$45,055.00 5.5 14.2 132 175 0.83 20
$35,870.00 5.9 14.6 152 170 0.91 20
$32,064.00 7.1 15.4 142 170 0.?? 20
price MSRP 0-60 1/4 mi top 70-0 skid EPA city
$28,555.00 5.4 14.0 149 155 0.87 20
$34,620.00 5.3 14.0 137 177 0.87 20
$45,720.00 4.9 13.6 144 160 0.87 19
$36,000.00 5.2 13.9 158 160 0.87 16
$35,565.00 5.6 14.2 145 169 0.78 17
$54,720.00 6.9 15.3 150 176 0.82 19
$40,000.00 5.1 13.7 142 167 0.85 19
$45,055.00 5.5 14.2 132 175 0.83 20
$35,870.00 5.9 14.6 152 170 0.91 20
$32,064.00 7.1 15.4 142 170 ?.?? 20
Mazdaspeed 6
Subaru Legacy GT spec B
BMW 335i
Infinity G 35
Dodge Charger
BMW 530
Lexus IS 350
Mercedes C 350 sport
Acura TL
Lexus IS 250
TL has 0.91 skid numbers? Must be a typo!
Pretty amazing, that Mazdaspeed 6.
Both do the quarter in 14.0 seconds. The Speed 6 has a top speed of 149, the Legacy will reach 137. The Mazda outbrakes the Subaru 155 to 177 ft. from 70 mph and matches it on the skidpad with .87 lateral acceleration. 0-60 is pretty much a draw, 5.4 Mazda and 5.3 seconds Subaru.
The Mazda is roomier. The spec B Legacy costs more.
There are people out there who are messing with the turbo's blow-off valve, putting in front-mounted intercoolers, etc. for even more hp.
This difference is driven by the differences in gearing... weight and DISI also add a bit more noise.
Weight adds noise? Thats a first for me, as well as DISI adding noise. The Subaru boxer engine is a bit noisy in every application I have ever driven.
Thanks
The Legacy GT and Mazdaspeed 6 are so close in straight line acceleration that either car could win. But the Mazda has a higher top speed and outbrakes and likely outhandles the standard Subaru, and at least outbrakes the spec B too.
Don't bet a lot of money on a drag race though.
Krzys
1. CPE intake (8-15HP gain)
2. Mazdaspeed intake (5-10HP) - though the same as AEM, but no CEL, and if there is, it's under Mazda's warranty.
3. AEM (5-10HP)
4. Fujitsu (4-8HP)
The HP gains may be slightly off (by memory) by 1-2HP but the order of priority isn't.
Visit the site for more info.
1st thing: The exhaust is restrictive. Turbos like open, unrestricted exhausts since you get 3x benefit: less exhaust left in the cylinder to contaminate the fresh charge, less work to push exhaust out, and perhaps greatest the pressure difference across the turbo is greater so it spools harder and generates more boost. The exhaust is the largest single hp drain.
2nd thing: The software restricts power at upper rpms -- and probably at all rpms. CP-E has a helper processor in prototype for this now, the 1st version should be on the market in a few weeks.
3rd the intercooler does a pretty good job of removing heat, but it's a restriction in the intake. It eats about 3# of boost when stock. There's a front mount intercooler available for about $1K, but you're likely to have issues if you want warranty work on your engine.
The direct fuel injection looks promising. B/c it cools the intake charge we should be able to up the boost quite a bit with a larger turbo (which is available now).
4. CAI (cold air intake) are popular b/c you can do it yourself. Not worth your trouble and can have issues in heavy rain/snow/unexpected deep puddles (over 1' of h20). The popular CAI kits replace ignore the restrictive tubing just before the turbo.... you'll change that when/if you do a turbo upgrade.
Nothing beyond exhaust will work properly without tuning, you can't just bolt on X wonder part and gain 50hp without getting the ECU's co-operation. A turboback exhaust will work right away, but be sure to hear it 1st.
my question is whether all the water eventually cooked off, or is there a possibility of some water residing in my engine somewhere, hurting my performance? i don't want to remove the CAI just to take it to the dealer, but if i need to i will. it seems to be running fine, though i sometimes think i feel some powerloss or something.
any ideas?
-ticked off in Alabama...
Is that a closed-end lease?
Did the dynamics change? :surprise:
Maybe you should go get a toyota corolla(POS). :lemon:
I sure they will trade you even.
Pretty good mileage.
I get 16-20 MPG
Medium-heavy on the throttle..
Nice driving description, I think she rolls pretty smooth!!!
BTW.. What was your CEL for??
I do almost no stop-and-go city driving which helps the mpg. Purely highway, the car has done 28-29 mpg.
BTW, this is the best car I have driven through weather as bad as this was; it held the road extremely well. I had changed the tires in November to all weather & definitely feel I made a good choice for the winter.
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
1. How long are the tires lasting? I assume they are sticky performance tires. Also, here in Wisconsin, I assume I'll need a set of winter tires, if not for snow, just for the low temps. Summer tires turn into rocks at low temps.
2. Does anyone do their own oil changes? Is the drain plug and filter accessible if not on a lift?
I saw that the V6 filter is right up front, should be easy to get to. I didn't try to find it on the 2.3 turbo.
3. What kind of fuel mileage are y'all getting?
4. Are you happy with the ride on pot holed, bumpy roads?
We have plenty of those in SE Wisconsin.
5. Does the turbo engine have a timing belt, or chain?
That's all for now. We need to try out the Acura TSX and TL, and the Infiniti G35. Wife nixed the Subaru Legacy GT, she was not impressed with the interior or seating.
1. I would say the tires would last around10-15k miles. I changed mine to all season before winter because of the ice and snow. The all season tires cost me $125 a piece.
2.I have done my own oil changes and it's not hard but it takes a little more time b/c of taking off and on the engine under cover. The filter and plug are easy to get too. It does require a special wrench that you can order it's about $40. The filters are about $5. It takes 6 qts.
3. I'm getting about 25-26 HWY and 18-19 City and about 22mpg on total avg.
4. You will for sure feel the bumpy roads. I'm happy with it but it is a car built for curves and performance.
5. I beleive it is a chain. Dual chain if I remember right.
If I had a choice of the cars you mentioned above and already have owned the Ms6 and the TL. I'm just not 100% happy with the MS6 but that is just me. I would pick the TL for a lot of reasons. You can pick up a 2005 TL for about 27k and 29k with nav. I never drove the G35 so I can't comment on that. If you have the money check out the TL type-s.. sweet as they come. Hope this helps.
I keep track of every tank of gas, only put 93 octane, and I average 22-23 city and 25+ highway. I suspect the highway would be higher, but I haven't gone anywhere yet that took a whole tank at highway driving. I find that it costs me between 10 and 12 cents per mile in gas, even with the price spikes.
The ride is firm, but my last car was a Mustang GT, so I like firm. The traction is unbelievable... go tearing around in the car, and then just think, you can do that in the rain also!
I cross-shopped the TL, but it seemed pretty expensive for what you got... I think the Accord v6 6-speed is the much better deal... couldn't see spending 30K on a FWD car. Plus the Acura dealers are mighty proud of their products.
I also drove the 06 G35. I know the interior has been upgraded for 07, but I didn't see the MS6 interior as such a great step down from the G35, if you know what I mean. My only gripe about the MS6 interior is that the carpet seems a little cheap, kind of like what you might expect to see in a trunk.
But the MS6 is far and away the biggest bang for the buck, which is what sold me on it. So far it's solid as a rock, no rattles, shimmies or squeaks.
The MS6 has the biggest back seat of any of the cars you mentioned, if that's important to you. We fit an infant car seat in the middle spot, and a passenger still fits on either side, with room to spare.
I just love the Speed6, it's so low-key, people who pull up next to me thinking they're going to beat me to the next light get OWNED!